JLA, Vol. 19: World Without a Justice League

JLA (Original Trades)

by Bob Harras, Tom Derenick (Illustrator), Dan Green (Illustrator)

The Justice League disbands after a series of crises depletes their strength and their headquarters are destroyed, but not all of the superheroes agree that their mission should end, especially once an old enemy reappears.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Action

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Robert "Bob" Harras (born January 11, 1959) is an American comics writer and editor, who was editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics from 1995 to 2000 and currently serves as editor-in-chief of DC Comics.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is just limping along to the finish. The League has been disbanded but Green Arrow can't accept that, so he's going around trying to recruit heroes to unofficially band together. Meanwhile The Key has escaped from Arkham and is murdering people. The book is filled with needless bickering until it mercifully ends. Bob Harras should stick to editing. The only good thing about the book was Tom Derenick's art.

[Jim C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This continues the story that will lead to the major event Infinite Crisis. In this one, the Justice League is no more as members are fighting each other and no one really trusts each other anymore. Meanwhile, the Key escapes Arkham and has developed into a powerful telepath.

This is basically the end of this particular series run and it's ending was a letdown. I like the idea of the Justice League disbanding and the effects it would have on the world. The problem is that it never really explored this concept as it focused on its members fighting with each other or others saying the mantra "Why can't we just get along?". The whining in this collection seemed excessive and out of character besides Batman. The only real positive I can mention is the artwork which I really enjoyed.

I have read several side companions that are connected to the major DC event. I believe this one might be my least favorite as it really seemed to plod to the ending and didn't do much to entertain me.

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why is it so hard to slog through this? I picked it up five times before it finally was finished, and after the first time, not once (more) did I look forward to it. It was more like the anti-anticipation that comes from a big homework assignment.

Harras has mastered stating the very obvious - "This is insane! The Key is clearly manipulating us. Forcing us to fight." ugh.

I finally gave up and just flipped through the last couple of chapters to the amateurish "showdown" with Bats. Yawn.

[Tomás Sendarrubias García · Rating 3 out of 5]

Con un Mundo Sin Liga de la Justicia, llegamos al final de una era, la que se había iniciado con JLA 1 de Grant Morrison y que llegaba hasta aquí, con el cierre de la colección en un momento crítico en el que todo el Universo DC se sacudía por la Crisis Infinita. De hecho, este arco argumental se desarrolla en paralelo con los sucesos de Crisis Infinita, por lo que nos encontramos a una Liga algo diferente y que continúa directamente con los acontecimientos de Crisis de Conciencia.

Con la Liga herida de muerte, Flecha Verde, Canario Negro, John Stewart y Manitú Dawn se convierten en todo lo que queda de la Liga, con J'onn desaparecido, la Atalaya destruida, y el mundo haciendo frente a las manipulaciones de Superboy Primo y Alexander Luthor. Pero por si todo eso fuera poco, esta menguada Liga de la Justicia tiene que hacer frente a nuevas heridas internas, las dejadas por la relación de Dawn con Flecha Verde antes de la muerte de Manitú Cuervo, por no hablar de la insalvable ruptura entre Flecha Verde y Batman. Y serán ellos quienes tengan que enfrentarse a un olvidado enemigo de la Liga de la Justicia, la Llave, que vuelve al mundo con unos poderes mentales muy aumentados y con un interés muy concreto en Manitú Dawn, junto a la que podría exterminar, si no el mundo, al menos a toda Gotham...

El encargado de cerrar este último arco de JLA (con portadas de Daniel Acuña, un dibujante español de lo más interesante), sería una auténtica autoridad en el mundo del cómic, el mismísimo Bob Harras, que había llegado a ser editor jefe de Marvel durante la década de los 80 y con experiencia suficiente como para realizar un trabajo más que solvente en este último arco de la JLA, cuyas principales deficiencias vienen dadas por la magnitud de lo que estaba ocurriendo en el Universo DC, lo que obligaba a contar con pocos personajes, a incluir mucha metatrama, etcétera; lo que ya había afectado a arcos anteriores, de modo que, como dije en su momento, el fin de la etapa Joe Kelly es realmente el fin de la última gran etapa de esta JLA.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that it presented the repercussions of the sequel to A Conscience of Crisis from the last volume where what happened to Batman at the hands of the league has borne fruit with negative results. Despite Batman's misgivings, the world still needs the JLA and to quote Manitou Dawn:"The league is far,far, far, from over:.

If you are wondering why I am getting so ahead of myself, read the book.

[Edward Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, but it got a bit far fetched in the end. I really don't understand what Envy was supposed to accomplish here. And it seemed like a cheap plot device to include him. That said, I don't know any other exploits if either The Key or Envy. Also, no clue where Raven came from. I must not remember something from Infinite Crisis.

[Richard Schaefer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The JLA series started by Grant Morrison, perfected by Mark Waid and Joe Kelly, ends with a whimper in this Infinite Crisis tie-in, written by the less than illustrious Bob Harras. It just highlights how much DC changed around Identity Crisis, and while that led to some truly great, ambitious stories, it also led to volumes like this, which have little value outside of the events they tie into.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, to live in a world where this unnecessary coda to the greatness that was the JLA never existed. JLA as a title was getting ready to be axed in the great Crisis and had been going steadily downhill, but this mess of an ending by Bob Harras (who you may remember from running more than a few Marvel titles into a black hole) really had no business even existing.

The old members of the JLA come together to mourn the team's ending, Bats acts even more of a dick than ever, and the Key shows up to be a bit player in some Captain Marvel plotline that doesn't even get explained. He's not any less abused than anyone else in this book, ranging from Black Canary not caring that Ollie's cheating, Bruce's determination not to let anyone help no matter what (he'd have at least called Clark in on this) to the complete and utter lack of Supes and Diana.

I can't see any reason for any of this except to springboard a few of the Crisis plotlines, which could have easily been done in an 80-page giant, like they did with Blue Beetle's death. Beating the horse that died in the prior arc was pointless, and for such a good group to go out like this is a shame. If it was needed at all, at least give it one last good fight (White Martians would have been a nice full-circle idea). Fortunately, this all led to better things, but the getting there really doesn't feel like it's worth reading. Ugh, ugh, ugh. (Library, 02/08)

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

The end of an era is ushered in by Bob Harras and a host of artists, as the flagship JLA title closes with a whimper in this final volume. The League is a shadow of its former self, with Superman and Wonder Woman absent and a paranoid Batman vengeful over discovering his memories had been mystically altered by those he once considered allies. As Aquaman gathers the remnants of the team together for a goodbye ceremony, Manitou Dawn receives a vision of a rising threat. The return of the Key, an OMAC attack, and the influence of the Deadly Sin known as Envy stress the JLA to its final breaking point, leading to the book's eventual relaunch as the Justice League of America once again. Despite being the premier team in the DC Universe, the JLA finds itself subjected to a brusque conclusion to its adventures. Most of the big guns have been shunted off to other concerns, a forgotten villain is brought in for the denouement, and the artistic depiction of the characters is exaggerated and cartoonish. If a world with a Justice League looks like this tale from Bob Harras, then there is no issue in having a world without a JLA.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this series of JLA comes to a close, but not for me! Because I actually started this series in the middle. So now I have the first 8 books to read.

This one was pretty good, except it really kinda strange to not have superman and wonder woman there at the end. I guess they might have tended to see the logic of having a league and then the "jig would be be up". Not sure why they had all these heroes on the cover that we're not in the book? I really expected to see Shazam show up. But really they could have called this "JLA: Bruce vs Ollie". As another reviewer commented it is really rather strange that Ollie of all people would be the one to defend the JLA since he's always been "in-n-out".

I guess I also need to read the rest of the Crisis stuff because I have no idea why Donna Troy showed up and took GL and Red Tornado away (I don't even know who she is).

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Infinite Crisis crossover finds founding member Batman having dissolved the JLA but Green Arrow determined to keep it together as one of the seven deadly sins, Envy, and telepathic supervillain the Key begin causing problems. The JLA aren't seen as gods here; they're mortals arguing with each other over the power they wield. Green Arrow, Raven, Black Canary, and Batman take center stage here.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one might be better than I think, but it feels pretty inconsequential in the context of Infinite Crisis. It's essentially just a way to put an official end to the series while IC is going on, but it's not as good a story as its predecessor. It's largely a Green Arrow plot, which is fine, but it's just not that fun or insightful.

[Victor Orozco · Rating 2 out of 5]

All over the place without any real plot other than the Justice League of America disbanding.

That and the mysterious villain called the Key as he attempts to find a way to relieve his insanity with help from a Justice League member.

While its cool to see Ollie and Bruce go angsty... it really isn't.

Not too bad but not that great. C-

[Declan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book with some classic Green Arrow lines.

[Warren]

Infinite Crisis

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

JLA in bits. An interesting story that focus's on the smaller characters while the main ones are involved in Infinite crisis. Decent read.

[Jedhua · Rating 1 out of 5]

ABSOLUTE RATING: {1.5/5 stars} (Rounded Up)

STANDARDIZED RATING: <1/5 stars>